Editor's note: with the postponement of Monday's game against Loyalsock, the contest now takes place Tuesday, after Salisbury Press deadlines.

Many of this year's Salisbury baseball players remember the 2011 state tournament run like it was yesterday.

The comparisons between that team and this year's state finalist are inevitable. Many of this year's players were on the roster two years ago. A few were even regulars in the line up as freshmen or sophomores back then.

Like two years ago, this team has a swagger without being overconfident. Those seniors set a tone. They took it game by game and enjoyed the ride. This year's team learned from that and has done the same throughout the season and into the postseason.

"We're not really under pressure," said junior centerfielder Brad Vangeli. "We're feeling loose and having fun just like two years ago. But this year the expectations are a little bit higher."

The 2011 team knew it could compete in the league and district, but not even the players would have listed the state title game as a realistic goal when that season began.

That's not the case this year.

"This year our expectations are high," said Vangelli. "We expected to get back to the state championship."

"A couple years ago," said senior outfielder Zach Seitz. "We didn't really think that we would go that far. Every game we won, it was great, but we weren't expecting it. This year there are more expectations. It seems a little bit harder, though."

The postseason run two years ago gave this team the template for success. The players learned what the best teams in the state look like and play like. When they look at this year's Salisbury team, they know it looks like a state playoff contender.

The players see they have a deeper team than two years ago and realize what can be achieved.

"Before [in 2011] they didn't know you could get there," said Salisbury head coach Mike Pochron. "Everything was a surprise.

"Now they know they can get there. They have the talent. Maybe there's a little self-imposed pressure.

"Overall it's a better team. We have more depth, pitching, everything."

The Falcons won their first two state games in dramatic fashion. They beat District 12 champ Nuemann Goretti in extra innings, then came back from a one-run deficit to beat District 4 champ Hughesville.

With Monday's postponement, Salisbury heads into Tuesday's semifinal hoping for a win and a chance to play the winner of Beaver and Quaker Valley in the state title game, June 14 at Penn State.

This year's playoff run might have started just a few weeks ago, but the journey for most of these players began two years ago.

Neumann-Goretti

game recap

After taking a 1-1 pitchers duel into the eighth inning last Tuesday at Richie Ashurn Field in Philadelphia's FDR Park, the Falcons scored five in the top of the eighth to knock off Neumann-Goretti, 6-2, in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA tournament.

The Saints starting pitcher, John Lamotta, got pulled after walking in a run in the eighth. He had not surrendered a walk through seven innings, but gave up two walks, a single and another walk in the eighth inning before leaving the game.

Charlie Jerla came in to pitch to Justin Aungst with one out and the bases loaded.

Aungst, the Falcons' clean up hitter, ripped a bases-clearing double to give his team a 5-1 lead.

"I saw the new pitcher had control of his fastball when he was warming up," said Aungst. "I saw the first fastball go by, it was a little outside. I was still looking fastball and I got one down the middle. I really barreled it up and sent it into the gap."

Aungst also came on to pitch in relief of Nic Ampietro, who gave up just one run through six and a third innings.

Aungst entered with runners on first and second and one out in the seventh. A ground out and strike out later, the score was still tied at one with the Falcons regaining momentum heading into extra innings.

Zach Seitz went 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI.

He knocked in Salisbury's first run with a single in the fourth inning. He also hit an RBI single in the eighth, driving in Aungst and adding an insurance run.

Aungst put the first two batters on in the bottom of the eighth. He hit the first batter with a pitch and walked the next.

An error allowed one Nuemann-Goretti run to come in, but a fly out and a double play ended the game.

Hughesville

game recap

Momentum swung back and forth like a pendulum in this state quarterfinal game at Pine Grove.

A two-run fifth inning got Salisbury the lead and started to swing that pendulum back to the Falcons' side. A pinpoint throw from center fielder Vangeli ended the Hughesville sixth and sent the momentum completely over to Salisbury.

Trailing 6-5, Hughesville put runners on first and second with one out in the sixth. A fly out to left field made it two outs. Hughesville pinch hitter Kevin Gouldner hit what looked like a line-drive RBI single to center field. But Vangeli had other ideas.

He took the throw on one hop and threw a pellet to catcher Chase Rogers. Rogers got the ball just in time and put the tag on Jason Stump to end the threat.

"Their crowd was really loud," said Vangeli. "That throw quieted them down and got our fans into it."

Vangeli, who was the starter at third base last season, has looked comfortable in center field this year. He was ready to make the big play in a big game.

"I was telling myself that tying run is on second base," he said. "Any ball that comes to me I've got to charge hard and do my best to make a good throw. I charged hard. I didn't want to rush too much. I took my time. Charlie made a great catch, great block of the plate.

"Right after I let it go I saw it was right on Charlie. I knew he'd catch it and make the tag."

The Falcons took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Vangeli led off with a single and scored on a fielder's choice. Nic Ampietro, who reached base on an error, scored on a Seitz single. Mason Kresley, who drew a two-out walk, came in on Tyler Cooperman's single.

Hughesville came back with a run in the second inning. Salisbury got a run in the third when Seitz scored on Rogers' single.

Seitz had three hits for the second straight game, going 3-for-5 in the quarterfinal and nearly had another hit.

"He actually hit one in the hole and if there's not a force play, there's four hits," said Pochron. "He's doing a great job for us."

Hughesville took advantage of a few of Salisbury's defensive miscues to score four runs in the fourth inning, grabbing a 5-4 lead.

Salisbury got the lead back in the fifth. Seitz led off with an infield single. Ryan Utsch got hit by a pitch and Chad Cooperman reached base on an error, loading the bases with no outs.

One run came home on a wild pitch. Another came in on Alex Clark's sacrifice fly as the Falcons took a 7-6 lead.

Aungst and Cooperman, who came on in the fourth inning, combined to pitch a solid game. If not for a few Salisbury errors, the game might not have been as close.

But the play at the plate was something Pochron won't forget for a while. He's seen Vangeli make those throws every day at practice, but he had not needed to show off his arm in games until last Thursday.

"That keeps us with a one-run lead," said Pochron. "Otherwise it's a tie game. That might be the biggest play of the year so far."